Like other philosophies the Stoic's starting point is nature, and their ultimate end is happiness through the virtues. But unlike other philosophies they don't require any other agent, the only good is virtue. Wealth, pleasure etc are meaningless and immaterial to happiness. Happiness only depends on the virtues (which are mans moraly excellent actions).
Nature is rational, to live as nature intended requires reason, which to Stoics implies only virtues matter.
To the Stoics emotions, such as fear, envy or love, either were, or arose from, false judgments and once one obtained moral perfection they would no longer have these emoions.
Only the wise are truly happy and good, and this is a black and white distinction, their is no grey middle ground between the good and the bad.
Stoics believe the wise would form a community without typical political borders, a Cosmopolis, a world community of the wise.
Historical Context
Stoicism was probably popular at this time (the Hellensic period- starting around 301 BC) because it was a 'tired age' - the economic system was failing, wealth was held by a few while the majority in both the cities and rural areas lived in poverty, and there was a huge slave class. In circumstances like this it was very hard for anyone to 'change their lot'. You were confined to submitting to the will of the empire. In 'hopeful ages' evils could be endured because of the hope of something better. In 'tired' ages, this hope nolonger existed, and so, even so called 'goods' loose their appeal. Stoicism complimented this attitude due to its (almost) fatalistic need for evils to be endured and entreaty to be above worldy pleasure and pain. (Isn't it odd that this philosophy would have been appealing to the most powerful man in the world at the time? - xmarquez Jul 23, 2007)
Stoics became associated with the upper class of Rome, such as Marcus Aurelius. Early Stoic writings were only preserved in other books, which were typically biased against them, or trying to discount their philosophies.
Selected bibliography
Erskine, Andrew. 1990. The Hellenistic Stoa. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
An account of the political thought of the Stoics from Zeno to the early Roman empire. Somewhat technical at times. Library catalog.
Long, A. A., and D. N. Sedley. 1987. The Hellenistic Philosophers. 2 vols. Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press. Library catalog.
A collection of fragments from ancient sources recording the writings of various stoic philosophers (which no longer exist independently). It is organized thematically and contains useful introductions to all the major themes and problems in early Stoic philosophy.
Schofield, Malcolm. 1999. The Stoic Idea of the City. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
A (somewhat technical) account of the political thought of the early stoics and its transformation in Roman times. Library catalog.
Table of Contents
The Stoic School
Like other philosophies the Stoic's starting point is nature, and their ultimate end is happiness through the virtues. But unlike other philosophies they don't require any other agent, the only good is virtue. Wealth, pleasure etc are meaningless and immaterial to happiness. Happiness only depends on the virtues (which are mans moraly excellent actions).Nature is rational, to live as nature intended requires reason, which to Stoics implies only virtues matter.
To the Stoics emotions, such as fear, envy or love, either were, or arose from, false judgments and once one obtained moral perfection they would no longer have these emoions.
Only the wise are truly happy and good, and this is a black and white distinction, their is no grey middle ground between the good and the bad.
Stoics believe the wise would form a community without typical political borders, a Cosmopolis, a world community of the wise.
Historical Context
Stoicism was probably popular at this time (the Hellensic period- starting around 301 BC) because it was a 'tired age' - the economic system was failing, wealth was held by a few while the majority in both the cities and rural areas lived in poverty, and there was a huge slave class. In circumstances like this it was very hard for anyone to 'change their lot'. You were confined to submitting to the will of the empire. In 'hopeful ages' evils could be endured because of the hope of something better. In 'tired' ages, this hope nolonger existed, and so, even so called 'goods' loose their appeal. Stoicism complimented this attitude due to its (almost) fatalistic need for evils to be endured and entreaty to be above worldy pleasure and pain. (Isn't it odd that this philosophy would have been appealing to the most powerful man in the world at the time? -Stoics became associated with the upper class of Rome, such as Marcus Aurelius. Early Stoic writings were only preserved in other books, which were typically biased against them, or trying to discount their philosophies.
Selected bibliography
- Erskine, Andrew. 1990. The Hellenistic Stoa. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
An account of the political thought of the Stoics from Zeno to the early Roman empire. Somewhat technical at times. Library catalog.- Long, A. A., and D. N. Sedley. 1987. The Hellenistic Philosophers. 2 vols. Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press. Library catalog.
A collection of fragments from ancient sources recording the writings of various stoic philosophers (which no longer exist independently). It is organized thematically and contains useful introductions to all the major themes and problems in early Stoic philosophy.- Schofield, Malcolm. 1999. The Stoic Idea of the City. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
A (somewhat technical) account of the political thought of the early stoics and its transformation in Roman times. Library catalog.